


Home Again

by DizzyDrea



Category: Doctor Who (2005), White Collar
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossover, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-11
Updated: 2012-03-11
Packaged: 2017-11-05 05:12:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/402801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DizzyDrea/pseuds/DizzyDrea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Neal returns from an adventure with a new friend, he gets a bit of a shock.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home Again

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea where this came from, except to say that I thought the Doctor and Neal would get along like a house afire. Looks like they did. /grins/ I'm an Eleventh Doctor fan--he was the first I really watched--so that's why I wrote him here. And whenever I imagined the Doctor speaking in this one, it was his voice I heard. Oh, and the fez. With Neal's fedora and that fez...well, the picture was just too good to pass up.
> 
> Originally posted on LiveJournal.
> 
> Disclaimer: White Collar is the property of Jeff Eastin, Fox Television Studios, USA Networks, and a lot of other people who aren't me. Doctor Who is the property of Russell T. Davies, Steven Moffat, the BBC and a lot of other people who aren't me. I do this for fun and for practice. Mostly for fun.

~o~

Neal Caffrey ran full-tilt toward the TARDIS, not stopping until he'd collapsed against the central control console. The Doctor skidded to a stop next to him, breathing hard.

"You had to go and ask about the Schenate's daughter, didn't you?"

The Doctor straightened up, adjusting his jacket and resettling the fez on his head. "They were particularly sensitive about her, I'll admit."

Neal laughed. "Sensitive? They were ready to kill you!"

"Yes, well, perhaps it's time we take Vorlos III out of the tourist brochures," the Doctor said, winking at his newest companion.

"I'll say," Neal muttered.

The door rattled ominously, and Neal stepped aside as the Doctor moved around the console, flipping switches seemingly at random. "So, where to next?"

"Home, I think," Neal said with a sigh. It wasn't that he wasn't having fun with the Doctor. He was a singularly adventurous traveling companion, unafraid of the slightest excitement unlike some people he knew. But, he'd been gone a while and he missed—and he could hardly believe he was thinking it, much less had just said it—home. "It's been months since I've seen Peter and Elizabeth."

It had, but only because time worked differently in the TARDIS. The Doctor had assured him when he'd invited him on this ridiculous ride that he'd be able to return Neal to June's loft at virtually the same moment he'd left.

At his words, the Doctor merely gave him one of those enigmatic smiles that he'd become used to and slid over to the chronometer, turning the dial until he'd selected the proper date. He flipped a couple of more switches and levers, just for effect, and the TARDIS shook and tilted, tossing Neal against the railing.

"Dematerialization circuit's still giving you trouble, I see," he said, chuckling as he watched the Doctor rush to compensate. The TARDIS righted itself, settling into flight as they hurdled through space and time toward their destination.

He watched the Doctor as he fiddled with settings—busy work that wasn't really necessary given Sexy's ability to fly herself—and smiled. Tucking his hands into his pockets, he relaxed against the railing, crossing his ankles and just enjoying the ride. Freedom had become a scarce commodity until he'd met the Doctor, and while he was loathe to give it up, he'd been assured that whenever he got 'Island Fever' as the Doctor had called it, all he had to do was call. Of course, the Doctor had never specified just how he was supposed to do that, but Neal figured he'd be able to sort that out when the time came.

"I had a great time," he said, offering his thanks to someone he now considered a friend.

"It was grand, wasn’t it?"

Their eyes met, twin smiles forming on their faces as the memories of the last two months flitted behind their eyes. The Doctor merely grinned wider as Neal raised a hand and tipped his fedora. One last thud and he knew they'd arrived.

Neal sauntered down the ramp, headed for the door and what he suspected might be the front walk of Peter and Elizabeth's townhouse. Suddenly, he stopped, swinging around at the last minute.

"Anklet," they both said at the same time, Neal pointing at the Doctor just as the Doctor raised his finger in the air.

The two men chuckled. The Doctor dashed down the ramp, knelt down and pulled his Sonic Screwdriver out of his jacket pocket, pointing it at Neal's anklet. What had been a steady green light began to blink once more, and it was as if that blinking light added weight to the device. He could feel it around his ankle, when he hadn't noticed it at all the entire two months or so he'd been with the Doctor.

"There, that should do it," the Doctor said, rising to stand next to Neal. "Now, try to stay out of trouble. I can't be coming back here every other week to rescue you."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Neal said, winking. "Be careful who I talk to."

He held out his hand, and the Doctor shook it. "Good luck, Neal."

"You too," Neal said. 

He turned and headed for the door, pulling it open just a bit to check outside. He wasn't repeating his last mistake for anything, so his eyes darted around, finding the street quiet. He was indeed right in front of the Burke's townhouse. He pushed the door open then turned around and smiled at the Doctor before heading outside, shutting the door carefully behind him.

He headed up the walk, turning around at the last second as the blue Police Box shimmered out of existence. He smiled and shook his head. It had been an adventure, but he was glad to be home.

~o~

For once Neal hadn't had to pick the lock. He'd remembered his keys before they'd taken off, figuring that he couldn't guarantee that anyone would be home when he got back—either at June's or the Burke's. Nevermind that the Doctor could have put the TARDIS down right in the living room. After all, that Police Box had turned up on his terrace that fateful night more than two months ago.

He shook his head as he headed up the stairs to the guest bedroom. He was looking forward to seeing Peter and Elizabeth again, but more importantly he was looking forward to his first good night's sleep in what seemed like forever. He couldn't have imagined it before, but he actually missed the lumpy mattress and Satchmo hogging all the real estate.

He hadn't even waited to get to the guest room to start stripping his suit, that's how tired he was. He tugged the knot out of his tie, unbuttoning his shirt and pulling it out of his pants as he took the stairs two at a time, anxious to reach the guest room and his bed. 

The suit had been his favorite Devore, and amazingly, after more than two months on the road, it actually looked better than it had the day he'd put it on. Sexy probably had something to do with that. The Doctor had said she was good with clothes, and she'd hummed appreciatively the first time he'd taken it off, though he'd always wondered if she was humming at him or the suit.

He slipped his watch off, intending on dropping it and his hat on the nightstand as soon as he hit the guest room. The memory of receiving the watch washed over him. He'd been surprised, and more than pleased when they'd presented it to him—a simple gold watch with a leather band, but it held a world of meaning. The inscription— _Fresh starts and friendships_ —had nearly made him cry. No one had shown him that much faith—that much love—in a long time, and he would always cherish it and the people who'd given it to him.

He was operating on autopilot by now, not even really paying attention to where his footsteps were taking him. He stayed over often enough that finding Neal in their guest bed in the morning probably wouldn't even faze them at all. What he hadn't counted on was that Elizabeth would still be up. He had no idea what time it was, but he thought it must be late since it was dark outside. Still, bumping into her in the upstairs hallway—with Elizabeth clad only in a towel with her hair pinned on top of her head—surprised a gasp out of him.

"Sorry," he said with a cockeyed smile. "Didn't see you there."

"Who are you?" she practically shrieked, startling Neal. He dropped his watch, stepping back as if he'd been burned.

"Elizabeth," he said, holding out a hand. She looked surprised to see him. Beyond surprised, actually. She looked frightened.

"What are you doing in my hallway? What are you doing in my house?"

"It's okay, Elizabeth," he said, holding out both hands now in a placating gesture. "It's just me. Neal."

"I don’t—Neal?" she asked, frowning, clearly confused.

Neal smiled, relieved that she seemed to recognize him. That smile died the second he stepped closer, only to have her pull the towel tighter around herself as she backed away. "Stay back! My husband's an FBI agent. One phone call and I can have the entire FBI at my front door."

"Elizabeth!" he said, desperate now. She was acting like she didn't recognize him, but that didn't make sense."It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. I know I've been away, but—"

"Look, I don't know who you are, but you'd better leave," she said, and he could tell by the tone of her voice that she was serious.

"Okay, okay," he said, backing towards the stairs. "I'll go back to June's. We can talk tomorrow."

He backed away, turning to head down the stairs as he buttoned up his shirt, trying like mad to figure out just what the hell was going on. The house looked the same; Elizabeth was the same. The Doctor had dropped him off at nearly the same moment he'd left, albeit in front of the Burke's condo instead of June's loft. What was he missing? Stopping midway down the stairs, he finally realized what was going on.

"Damnit!"

~o~

The TARDIS was burbling. This, in itself, was not unusual. She was an eccentric old girl, and he'd grown accustomed to her quirks over the years. This, however, was strange. She sounded almost giddy.

"What's that, there, Old Girl?" he asked as he flipped a couple more switches.

He knew she could very well switch them back, but he enjoyed this little game they played. She appeared to enjoy it too, because she was still burbling, random lights blinking on the console as they hurtled through space and time, on to their next adventure. 

She'd been acting odd ever since they'd dropped Neal off. He supposed it could be because she missed him. She'd taken quite a liking to him from the first, as he'd known she would. But that didn't explain why she seemed so pleased with herself.

He glanced at the chronometer, then slid over, taking a proper look at it. "But that's—"

He danced over to the diagnostic console, flipping a switch and glancing up at the monitor as the figures paraded across the screen. The numbers all added up, but something was wrong. He moved back to the chronometer, flipping another switch, but nothing happened.

"What have you done?" he asked, in that tone that brooked no argument.

The Old Girl burbled happily.

"Have you now?" he asked, eyebrow raised. "And why ever would you do a thing like that?"

Another burble, this one animated, with bells, whistles and flourishes for effect.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "He's going to kill me, you know. And don't think it's impossible. He's crafty, that one. He'll find a way."

He moved back to the controls, tossing the fez aside as he did, and reset the dials so he could return to where he'd left Neal. He only hoped he could get there before any permanent damage was done.

~o~

Neal got about halfway down the stairs before the front door opened. He froze, eyes meeting Peter Burke's. An instant later, Peter had his gun out and pointed at Neal.

"Don't move!"

Neal's hands automatically went up. "Not moving."

Peter's eyes flicked behind him, and he knew what he was seeing. "You okay, El?"

He didn't hear anything, but Peter's eyes returned to his, so he had to assume that she'd nodded yes. Otherwise, he was pretty sure he'd be smashed into the wall with cuffs around his wrists by now.

Not that that wasn't still a distinct possibility.

"You, walk down the stairs—slowly," Peter said, still pointing the gun at Neal.

He descended, one stair at a time, his tie still dangling around his neck, though blessedly, he'd gotten most of his shirt buttons done up. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, Peter grabbed him by the collar and roughly spun him around, knocking him into the mirror in the entry.

"Hands on the wall," he said, low and angry in Neal's ear.

Neal wouldn't dream of refusing, but the sound of that voice chilled him to the bone. He'd never heard Peter so angry.

He could hear the sounds of Peter holstering his gun and pulling out the cuffs. Very quickly and efficiently—and hadn't he always been that way with the cuffs?—he had Neal's wrists secured and was turning him around. He pushed, none too gently, sending Neal stumbling towards the living room.

Neal saw Elizabeth coming down the stairs, now dressed in sweats instead of that towel she'd been wearing when he'd literally run into her in the hallway. He forcibly dragged his thoughts away from that topic and sat on the couch as directed.

It was only then, when Elizabeth had joined him and they were holding each other in the middle of the living room that he saw recognition light Peter's eyes.

"Neal Caffrey?" he blurted, clearly shocked. "You—I just—you're in Houston. How can you be here?"

Elizabeth turned and looked at him, not scared now but more studying him. He tried to look as kind and non-threatening as he could as she looked him over. He saw her go from hostile and wary to curious and interested in the space of a few heartbeats. It gave him hope that this situation was salvageable.

Then it all went to hell.

~o~

The TARDIS touched down, and the Doctor ran for the door, bursting through to find himself face to face with an angry human pointing a gun at him.

"Oh, right then," he said, casting about for something to say that would seem non-threatening. 

He could just hear the TARDIS burbling away behind him. The Old Girl seemed to be laughing. Well, he supposed dropping him into a middle-class living room would be a fine joke under normal circumstances, but the gun pointing at him gave it just that little touch of panic that elevated it from joke to something a good deal more complicated. The gun actually explained her glee, but he still wasn't convinced she wasn't having one over on him.

"Oh, thank god," he heard from somewhere beyond the man with the gun. He leaned sideways, catching sight of Neal, sitting on the couch, hands bound behind his back.

"You alright, Neal?"

Neal rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Just peachy."

The man with the gun—and he'd really like to know just who he was, because he seemed familiar somehow—was gaping at him, and the woman at his side was no better. Her eyes had become huge, blue pools, and he couldn't miss the fear rolling off of both of them.

"You," the man said, practically barking.

"Who, me?" the Doctor asked. He cringed when the scowl deepened.

"Get over there with Caffrey," he barked.

"Okay," the Doctor said, plastering a grin on his face. "I think I'll just have a seat over here. Mind if I join you, Neal?"

He sauntered over, hands in his pockets, then sat down beside Neal and winked at him. Neal just goggled. It was an attractive look on him, but then the Doctor had discovered that there simply wasn't a look that wasn't good on the conman.

"Take your hands out of your pockets," the man with the gun said.

The Doctor looked at Neal, who just tilted his head. "He's rather bossy, isn't he?"

"He's a fed," Neal said, as if that explained everything. Which it did, oddly enough.

"You two know each other?" the man with the gun asked, his confusion evident.

The Doctor turned to face the couple—he presumed this was their house—and gave his most winning smile. "Of course we know each other."

"Who are you?"

"Me?" the Doctor asked, smile still firmly in place. "I'm The Doctor."

"Doctor Who?" the woman asked, frowning.

"Precisely," he said, grinning wide and opening his arms expansively.

Neal chuckled beside him, earning yet another frown from the man with the gun.

"Neal, would you mind introducing me to your friends?"

"Doctor, this is Peter Burke and his lovely wife, Elizabeth," Neal said, smiling.

"Peter and Elizabeth?" the Doctor said, glancing at Neal. "That Peter and Elizabeth? The ones you told me about?"

"The very ones," Neal confirmed.

Well, that explained a lot.

"Where did you come from?" Peter asked. He was doing this thing with his eyebrows that was very distracting.

The Doctor cleared his throat, returning his attention to the matter at hand. "That's not important. What is important is that Neal and I have to leave."

"You're not going anywhere until I have some answers," Peter said, pointing the gun at them once again.

Neal leaned over, eyes still following Peter's gun. "You're the one with the Sonic Screwdriver. Doesn't that thing have a setting for guns?"

The Doctor smiled. "Of course it does. Wood's the only setting I haven't quite sorted out yet. Now," he said, rummaging around in his pocket.

"Hands where I can see them," Peter barked out.

Neal straightened up, and the Doctor noted he seemed much more scared than he had just a moment ago. That gun really had to go. It was causing more problems than it was worth. He whipped the Sonic Screwdriver out of his pocket and switched it on, pointing it at Peter's gun and firing.

By the time Peter pulled the trigger, the gun had been rendered inert.

Neal slumped forward, breathing a sigh of relief.

"That's better," the Doctor said, smiling.

"What did you do to my gun?" Peter demanded, glaring alternately at the gun and the Doctor.

"I've rendered it unusable for the time being," he said, rising.

Peter took a step back, tugging Elizabeth with him, both of them still wary.

"Hey, Doc, you think you could do something about these cuffs?"

The Doctor glanced back at Neal, who'd spun sideways on the couch, waving his hands, which were still locked behind him.

"Oh, of course, sorry," he muttered. He switched settings on the Sonic Screwdriver and pointed it at the cuffs, which fell open onto the cushions.

"Thank you," Neal said. He stood up, rubbing at his wrists. "I hate those things."

"You should probably try to avoid getting arrested, then," Peter said, forcing a chuckle out of Neal.

"You're probably right, but where's the fun in that?" Neal asked. "You'd just have to stop chasing me, and—"

"Focus, people," the Doctor said, drawing their attention back to him. "Neal, we need to go."

"You're not going anywhere until you explain just what the hell is going on here," Peter ground out, the threat clear in his voice, even as he still held a useless gun in his hand.

The Doctor glanced at Neal, both men sharing a smile. "Spoilers!" they said at exactly the same moment.

The Doctor looked back at Peter and Elizabeth, both of whom were looking at him with confused rather than hostile looks. He considered that an improvement.

"Look, Peter," Neal said, stepping forward. The Doctor reached out for him, meaning to warn him off, but Neal shook his head. "It's okay; I know. Just let me…"

"You're sure?" The Doctor asked. He didn't want Neal's sentimentality to give too much away, but at the same time, he knew they'd have to leave the Burke's with something.

"Yeah," he said, smiling. He stepped forward, looking first at Peter before settling his gaze on Elizabeth. "You don't know me, not yet. And if I told you just how we know each other where I come from—when I come from—you wouldn't believe me anyway."

He reached out and took Elizabeth's hand, and the woman allowed the touch, curling her fingers around Neal's. Then, he reached out for Peter's hand. Peter hesitated, then holstered his useless gun, allowing his hand to fall to his side. But, he didn't move. His gaze had turned from outright hostile to something softer, more… open.

Interesting. 

He could see how these three had a connection that defied space and time. He also understood why the TARDIS had brought them here and now. That crafty old girl had known there needed to be some groundwork laid, and had set about laying it herself. The Doctor made a mental note to thank her when this was all over. After the lecture.

"Are you—are you saying you're a time traveler?" Elizabeth asked tentatively.

"Not me," Neal said, smiling at her with such affection in his eyes that it made the Doctor almost teary. Almost. "The Doctor is… special. We've been spending some time together. He's got this crazy… Police Box."

The Burke's looked past Neal to the TARDIS sitting in their entryway, her door still hanging open, giving a tantalizing glimpse of the interior. Their eyes widened, then returned to Neal.

"How is that even possible?" Peter asked. He was far less demanding now, just barely hanging on to what he probably thought were the last shreds of his sanity.

Neal shook his head. "I'll explain it all to you. The next time I see you, I promise I'll explain it all. Just… trust me. I have to go, but we will see each other again."

"The next time you see him, he won't remember this night," the Doctor said, stepping forward. He had to make sure they didn't spoil too much.

"Why did you come here, Caffrey?" Peter asked quietly, though the Doctor suspected that he already knew. 

Neal glanced back at the Doctor, then turned back to them. "I can't tell you, but I think you already know. But we won't be able to talk about for—"

"About seven years," the Doctor said. "Give or take."

Elizabeth's eyes went wide. "That long?"

"I'm afraid so," Neal said. He squeezed her hand, then let go and stepped back to stand beside the Doctor. "I promise I'll explain it all one day. Just… don't forget me."

"We won't," Peter said, and it resonated with the promise of the future.

The Doctor smiled. "Come along, Neal." He turned and headed for the TARDIS, turning back after just a few steps. "My apologies for dropping in on you like this. The Old Girl gets a bit cheeky sometimes."

Elizabeth smiled and waved while Peter stood as stiff as a statue, his eyes never leaving Neal. Neal tugged on the Doctor's sleeve, urging him back into the TARDIS. 

"Oh!" he said before he reached the door. He rushed back to Peter, whipping out his Sonic Screwdriver and pointing it at the holstered gun. The device hummed, and the Doctor nodded, satisfied. "There, that should do it."

He turned and joined Neal, who was standing just inside the door, his tie still undone, looking slightly disheveled with his hat perched cockeyed on his head.

"Close the door, Neal," he said as he passed. When Neal didn't move, the Doctor laid a hand on his shoulder. "You'll be seeing them soon enough. Now, come along."

Neal flashed him a weak smile, then shut the door.

~o~

"Would you mind explaining to me just what the hell happened?" Neal barked out as he marched up the ramp towards the control console. He leaned against the railing, retying his tie and tucking in his shirt as the Doctor moved past him. 

The Doctor winced. "Slight malfunction. Nothing to worry about. We'll be on our way shortly."

The Doctor darted around the console, flipping switches and turning knobs as the TARDIS shook and shuddered. Neal watched, frustrated. He trusted the Doctor, but he felt like he was missing something. Again.

"Doctor, why did you drop me off seven years in the past?"

The Doctor winced again. "Technically, I didn't."

"Sexy?" Neal asked. He looked up, hands on his hips. "Did you do this?"

Sexy burbled. Neal looked to the Doctor. Despite the fact that he'd been aboard for over two months, he still hadn't worked out all her quirks. He raised an eyebrow, waiting for a translation.

"Er, she might have taken you here on purpose," the Doctor said.

Neal hung his head. "Why would she do that?"

The Doctor stopped what he was doing and gazed longingly at the controls. "She told me once that she takes me where she knows I'm needed. I suspect—though I have no proof—that she thought you and your… friends… needed a bit of a push."

"You mean we might never have become friends if she hadn't dropped me into their laps?" Neal asked, his head popping up to meet the Doctor's eyes. "But they've never said anything."

"You told them not to," the Doctor said quietly. "And that was the right thing to do. They shouldn't know more than they already do about the future. Technically, they shouldn't know anything at all, but the less they know the better." The Doctor smiled. "And I suspect that you'll have plenty to talk about once you get home."

Neal sighed. "When's that going to be?"

"Now," the Doctor said with a twinkle in his eye.

The TARDIS rattled and shook, and then silence descended. 

The Doctor shoved his hands into his pockets and sauntered around the console. He stopped in front of Neal, smiling gently.

"What you and Peter and Elizabeth have is precious," he said. "Whatever you do, don't screw it up."

Neal smiled. "Thanks. I don't plan to."

"Alright, off with you now," the Doctor said, making shooing motions with his hands.

"I'm going, I'm going," Neal said, chuckling. He turned and walked down the ramp. When he reached the doors, he turned. "Thanks. And tell Sexy thanks, too."

"Oh, I will," the Doctor said, smiling wide.

Neal chuckled. He opened the door, just a crack and poked his head out. The street looked just about the same as it did the last time he'd done this—had it really only been about an hour ago?

When he glanced back at the Doctor, he just smiled. "We're in the right time, I promise."

Neal smiled, then edged out the door and into the night.

~o~

This time, Neal tiptoed into the house and scanned his surroundings carefully before he began to head upstairs. Not that he could see much in the dim moonlight filtering through the blinds, but it made him feel better just doing it.

He waited until he was in the guest room with the door closed before he stripped down. If it turned out Sexy had a death wish, he wanted there to at least be a door between him and almost certain death. He slipped silently between the sheets and lay on his back, stiff as a board. He still wasn't convinced that this was the right house, or that Satchmo was the right Satchmo lying next to him.

The bed moving as he climbed in must have woken him because he rolled over, scooting up next to him and snuffling quietly for a moment before he settled down again. 

Neal breathed a sigh of relief as he settled deeper into the mattress, reaching out to stroke Satch a few times as he rolled to his side and closed his eyes. This was how it was supposed to be the last time he did this, which meant he'd found the right house, the right time, the right everything. 

He sent a silent thanks to the Doctor and drifted off to sleep.

~o~

The bed dipped, bringing Neal to wakefulness. He rolled his head to the side, cracking his eyes open. Peter had come home, and was just sitting there, presumably watching him sleep. Neal sat bolt upright, dislodging Satchmo in his panic. The dog huffed indignantly, then simply rolled over and went back to sleep.

"Peter! I can explain!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Peter said, grabbing Neal by the shoulders. "Relax. What's wrong?"

"I—you—" Neal skidded to a halt, really looking at Peter for the first time. It was still dark outside, but Peter didn't look angry. Or confused. His eyes darted around, finding Elizabeth standing behind Peter, her hands on his shoulder and a soft smile on her face. "You know why I'm here?"

Peter's smile widened. "If I'm guessing right, you've just gotten home from some sort of grand adventure with your new friend."

It was the emphasis on the word home that did it for Neal. He collapsed back onto the mattress, relief flooding through him. "Thank God! I was going to die if Sexy dropped me off in the wrong time again."

"Sexy?" Elizabeth asked as she stepped around Peter, settling onto the bed beside him.

"It's one of the nicknames that the Doctor's TARDIS goes by," Neal explained. 

"Who is this Doctor?" Peter asked.

This was the tricky part. Neal knew they might not believe him, although it helped that they'd already met him. "The Doctor is a Time Lord—a time traveler. The TARDIS is a sort of time machine. It allows him to go wherever and whenever he wants to."

"Is there a reason it looks like a London Police Box?" Peter asked with a wry smile.

Neal chuckled. "The Doctor says it's because the chameleon circuit's been broken since he stole—er, since they began traveling together. I think it's because Sexy likes having one over on him."

Peter narrowed his eyes at Neal. "I think I'm beginning to see why you two seemed to get along like a house afire."

Elizabeth giggled. "And she likes being called Sexy?" She frowned. "It is a 'she', isn't it?"

"Yeah, the TARDIS is a 'she'," Neal confirmed, smiling as he pushed up against the headboard. "She's a lot like you: strong-willed, sassy. She's saved our butts more than once."

"I think I like her already," Peter said, shaking his head even as a smile formed. He cocked his head. "Just how long have you and this Doctor been hanging out? Because your anklet had you at the loft all night long." Neal turned curious eyes on Peter. "I checked. I always check."

"Of course you do," Neal said, rolling his eyes. He glanced away from Peter, then met his eyes. "We've been on the road—so to speak—for a little over two months."

"Two months?" Elizabeth said with dismay. "Why didn't we notice?"

"Time traveler, remember?" Neal said. He looked back at Peter. "You never said anything. All these years and you never said anything."

"I might not have had a single clue as to what was going on that night, but you told me not to," Peter said. "I could see it was important to you, so we kept it quiet."

"We talked about it, Neal," Elizabeth said. "You'd just been a case file to me before that night; someone my husband was chasing. But then I met you—and your friend—and suddenly you were so much more. When you asked Peter to get you out of jail that first time, we knew what we had to do. You're our friend; ever since that night we've known that."

Peter pulled the drawer on the nightstand open and reached inside. He drew his hand out and held up something shiny. "El found it on the floor in the hallway when we got up the next morning. You must have left it behind in your rush to get out."

Neal blushed to the roots of his hair at the memory. Elizabeth lifted Neal's hand up off his belly where it had been resting, and Peter fastened the watch to his wrist.

"Better," she said. 

She leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek; Peter smiled fondly, patting his leg through the blankets.

"Welcome home," he said softly.

"Thanks," Neal said, smiling at the two of them. "It's good to be home."

~o~

"Now, then, where are we off to?" the Doctor asked as he flipped switches on the console, glancing about as he waited for the Old Girl to answer.

Silence.

"Oh, come now, be a dear and let me in on the secret."

He waited, but the TARDIS wasn't giving up her secrets. He sighed. She knew he wasn't at all pleased that she'd interfered in Neal's friendship with the Burke's but this was really taking it too far. Giving him the silent treatment wouldn't accomplish anything.

He sighed. "They'd have gotten there eventually. I'm almost certain of it. Your meddling may have accelerated the timeline, but they were well on their way without your help."

She burbled tentatively. He smiled, shaking his head.

"I will grant you that it was fun meeting Peter and Elizabeth." He paused. He knew she wouldn't give up her meddling ways, and truthfully he didn't really want her to. She seemed to know just where he'd be needed most, and always took him there. That was no small task, and he didn't want her to stop just because they'd nearly caused an incident. "Just so we're clear, next time tell me what you're up to. I like a good joke now and then, you know."

This time she burbled excitedly, random lights and sounds bursting forth from the console. He chuckled at her enthusiasm.

"Right, now, where shall we go?" he asked. "The Rings of Akhaten? Mordor? No, not Mordor. Too hot." He snapped his fingers. "I know! How about—"

More burbling, and this time the Doctor frowned. "Well, if you insist. Though I think I'd have enjoyed visiting the bazaar more."

The TARDIS continued to burble as the Doctor danced around the console, flipping switches and pulling levers, his excitement building at the prospect of a new adventure.

~Finis


End file.
